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t e m m m e 6 h S 2 T B RN M LA 00 K Rn -M A a d 0 M 0 w No. 589,934. 'Patented Sept. 14,1897.

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A. R. CLARKE. MILK CABINET.

No. 589,934. Patented Sept. 14,1897.

Hill! Nirnn STATES FFICE ARTHUR R. CLARKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE CLARKE SAFETY MILK CABINET COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MILK-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,934, dated September 14, 1897.

Application filed May 29. 1896. Serial No. 598,539. (No modelh To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR R. CLARKE, of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milk-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel wallcabi net for domestic purposes, and refers more specifically to a locking-cabinet designed for the use of milkmen in delivering the daily supply of milk to families.

The object of the invention is to provide a safe, weatherproof, and convenient receptacle adapted to be placed upon the outside of the house, where it will be accessible to the milkman without disturbing the inmates of the house, and which receptacle m ay be opened only by an authorized person.

A further object is to produce a device of extremely simple and economical construc tion.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device, showing the cabinet open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the cabinet closed.

. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and looking downwardly. Fig. 4 is a detail of a simple form of lock adapted for use with such a cabinet. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a double cabinet closed, parts of the front wall being broken away to expose the interior arrangement.

First describing the device shown in Figs. 1 to 4:, inclusive, the cabinet (designated as a whole by A) is herein shown as constructed of sheet metal, preferably of tin, and consists of a back-wall portion A, adapted to be se-.

cured against any suitable wall or support, conveniently by means of screws a a, a l1orizontal bottom wall A2, which is secured so as to project from the back wall A, and a cabinet or case A hinged at one side to the back wall A by means of suitable hinges a, so as to swing in a horizontal plane and adapted to form in conjunction with said back and bot tom walls a closed receptacle.

The back wall A is pointed or gable-shaped at its upper end, and the outer margins of said wall are turned outwardly at right angles to form flange portions a a and a, which surround said back wall at its top and sides. The flange a forms a part of the inclosing wall of the cabinet, the swinging casingA being secured directlyto the outer edge of said flange by means of the hinges a, hereinbefore referred to. The top flanges a a and side flanges a are, however, arranged to overlap or lie outside of the casing A when In the present instance the casing A i In order to provide a close joint between the lower end of the casing and the bottom wall, the latter is preferably provided with a vertical flange a against which said lower end of the casing fits when the latter is in closed position, thereby preventing access of dust, water, or snow, and at the same time forming a support which prevents the casing from becoming distorted.

The lower wall A is herein shown as provided at one side with an upturned bracketflange a, soldered or otherwise secured at its rear end to the back wall A, said bracketflange thus serving as a support to assist in holding the bottom rigid and at the same time forming a guide which serves to direct the edge of the swinging casing accurately into closed position. In order to aiford additional is swung into closed position.

sisting of a concaved sheet of metal A arranged to underlie the rear portion of said bottom and soldered or otherwise suitably secured at its margins to the under surface of the latter.

The casing A consists of an approximately semicylindric lower portion A in this instance made open at its lower end and provided at its upper end with a parti-conical covering A which is suitably conformed at its rear margins a to fit closely within the flanges a a of the gable-shaped upper end of the back wall A. Preferably and as shown in this instance the casing A will be reinforced around its rear and lower end margins by means of a wire a over which the margins of the metal will be turned in a wellunderstood manner.

In order to hold the casing A in closed position, a suitable lock will be provided, by means of which the unhinged rear margins of the casing may be secured to the back wall A. An extremely simple and economical construction in the lock adapted for this purpose is herein shown. Said lock consists simply of a latch B, provided at one end with a suitably-beveled catch b and at its opposite end with a right-angled outturned portion 1), which is arranged to extend outwardly through a suitable aperture a" in the casing and to thereby form a pivotal support for said latch. The extreme end b of the outturned portion Z), which projects outside of the easing, is squared or otherwise suitably conformed to receive a key whereby the latch 13 can be lifted, said projecting end Z2 being surrounded by a suitable guard adapted to prevent its manipulation, except by a proper key. The main portion of the latch 13 is inclosed within a suitable casing G, secured against the inner face of the casing A said casing C being provided with an aperture 0 opposite the free end of the catch to permit the entrance of a catch-stud B, which is rigidly mounted upon the back wall A in position to register with the opening 0 of the easing C. The catch-stud B is provided with an oblique end b beveled oppositely to that of the latch 13, and is adapted to coact with the latter to lift the latch and slide into engagement with its notch when the casing A In order to hold said latch 13 yieldingly in engagement with thecatch-stud B, a suitable V-shaped spring D is interposed between the upper side of said latch and the opposing wall of the casing O. The lock-casing C will be secured against the inner surface of the cabinet by means of soldering or otherwise, as desired.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification in which the bottom wall A is secured to and forms the lower end of the swinging part A of the casing instead of being mounted upon or connected with the back wall A. The said back wall is in this instance also pro* vided with overlapping marginal flanges and in other respects is constructed substantially like that hereinbefore described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3.

In Fig. 6 I have shown still another modification in which the cabinet is of double construction or provided with two compartments, each of which has an independent door to afford access thereto. In this instance the back wall A and the bottom wall A are constructed and arranged substantially like that shown in Fig. 1. The conical top casing A is, however, in this instance attached rigidly to the back wall A.

A designates a vertical partition which rises from the bottom to the height of the lower end or base-line of the conical top A, thereby dividing the interior of the cabinet into two compartments, and A designates a horizontal partition which extends from the top margin of the vertical partition A laterally over one of the compartments only and separates the latter from the rest of the interior of the cabinet.

The curved front wall of the casing is composed of two portions arranged to meet at the center on the line of the vertical partition- A each of said sections A A being hinged at its rear margin to lateral flanges at a formed upon or secured to the back wall A in a'manner substantially similar to the flange A shown in Fig. 3. The front edge of the vertical partition A is provided with a suitable supporting strip a, against which the front edges of the doors A A are adapted to rest, said supportingstrip carrying catchstuds for the engagement of locking-latches mounted upon the meeting edges of the doors and similar to that hereinbefore described.

The utility of a device embodying my invention will be obvious. The milkman and the customer each being provided with duplicate keys and the cabinet having been properly secured in place the housewife or servant will place the milk-can or other receptacle within the cabinet, together with the money or tickets to be given in exchange for the milk, and close and lock the cabinet. When the milkman arrives, he will insert his key, unlock the cabinet, take the money or tickets and exchange therefor the proper allowance of milk, after which he will again close the cabinet, the latter automatically locking it self. The contents will thus be kept perfectly safe and free from dust, dirt, and the weather until removed by the customer.

Where the double form of cabinet shown in Fig. 6 is used, the locks of the two compartments may have different keys and one side of the cabinet may be used by the milkman, while the other is used by the grocer, butcher, baker, or otherwise. In the latter construction the horizontal partition above the milkreceptacle forms a shelf upon which rolls or the like may be deposited in the upper coneshaped part of the cabinet, while the lower part may be used to contain groceries or the ike.

The construction of the cabinet is such that it is practically dust and Weather proof, While at the same time it is extremely simple and economical of manufacture.

\Vhile I have herein shown What I deem to be the most practical andpreferred embodiments of my invention, yet I do not wish to be limited to the precise details illustrated.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a wall-cabinet, of the sheet-metal back having peaked top and outsetting edge flanges along the sides and top, the casing having cylindriform body and conoid top hinged to one of said side flanges and shuttin gin past the other side flange and beneath the top flanges, and the sheet-metal bottom conforming in outline to the horizontal cross-section of the body of the casing, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a Wall-cabinet, of the sheet-metal back having peaked top and outsetting edge flanges along the sides and top, the casing having cylindriform body and conoid top hinged to one of said side flanges and shutting in past the other side flange and beneath the top flanges, the sheetmetal bottom conforming in outline to the horizontal cross-section of the body of the casing, and the reinforcement applied to the bottom ofthe casing so as to render the latter more rigid, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a Wall-cabinet, of the sheet-metal back having peaked top and ontsetting edge flanges along the sides and top, the casing having cylindriform body and conoid top hinged to one of said side flanges and shutting in past the other side flange and beneath the top flanges, the sheet-metal bottom conforming in outline to the horizontal cross-section of the body of the casing, the bracing-strip secured to the outer edge of the lower corner of the back Wall and extending thence along, and secured to, the adjacent edge of the bottom so as to-form a combined support and guide to direct the outer margin of the swinging easing into position, and the sheetmetal outwardly-convex reinforcement applied to the bottom, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 26th day of May,

ARTHUR R. CLARKE. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, WILLIS D. SHAFER. 

